Adam Silver: 5 Things to Know About the NBA Commissioner

With the 2019 NBA Draft kicking off tonight at 7:00 P.M. ET, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver will hit the stage to announce each first-round selection. Although Silver has been praised by many since becoming the NBA Commissioner in 2014, he still often warrants boos during the NBA Draft. This seems to now be a tradition for all professional drafts, thanks in large part to the NFL’s controversial Commissioner Roger Goodell.

Here are five things to know about the man who runs one of the most prominent professional leagues in sports.

He grew up a Knicks fan
Born and raised in Rye, New York, Silver grew up a die-hard New York Knicks fan.

He attended Duke
Silver completed his undergraduate studies from Duke University in 1984. He is still involved with the University since graduating, joining the Board of Trustees in 2015.

He was a lawyer
Prior to joining the NBA in 1992, Silver worked as a corporate lawyer in New York. He obtained his law degree from the University of Chicago Law School in 1988.

He is married
Although much of his personal life has remained quiet since becoming commissioner, Silver married his wife, Maggie Grise, in 2015. The couple has one daughter, Louise Burns Silver, who was born in 2017.

He is tall
Unlike former NBA Commissioner David Stern, Silver doesn’t look tiny when posing next to NBA prospects at the draft. This is because Silver stands at 6’3″, making him the tallest commissioner in professional sports.